For me it is an amazing lesson that I seem to need to hear again and again. I do not have to do everything myself or by myself. Things can get done without my direct effort. So much stress in life is caused by the belief that we control and need to control everything in our life.
My friend’s mother used to say, “Life is too short to be pissed off.” I learned of this at her memorial service and the meaning became even more poignant.
Every day I tell clients to take care of themselves first. I show them different tools to relax, recharge, and center themselves. I explain how we are no good to others if we have not first taken care of ourselves. But I haven’t seemed to have followed my own instructions.
Learn how to keep anxiety and stress from piling up on you.
This was to be the schedule for the next ten days. Every day eleven hours of meditation with light and sound deprivation, six hours of sleep, light food consumption, noble silence, zero physical contact, and limited physical exercise (walking to and from the different buildings was the only activity allowed). I was up to the challenge, or so I thought.
The unconscious, primitive reaction I had to the news was fear. This fear sent me back to my safe place; back to those habits that I had in my youth. Habits that served a purpose when I was younger, but which are nowdeterimental to my happiness. It was amazing how these habits jumped back into my life and burst out as knee-jerk reactions. I would catch myself doing or saying something out of character amazed at my own unconscious actions.
Illness and life purpose. What messages is your body sending to you? Don’t take a pill, look inside.
How to release your anxiety. Let go of your fears and worries.